


Cute, Adorable, and Other Adjectives

by Maddmax



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Coffee Shops, Fluff, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 17:46:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17585438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maddmax/pseuds/Maddmax
Summary: Lance’s eyes brightened at the possibility of not having to spend an extra hour in the shop alone tonight, doing the work of two people. “Please Keef- uh, Keith?”After a moment of awkward silence Pidge snickered. “Wait, what?” he replied, the name business had been at the forefront of his mind, distracting him from keeping up with the coffee shop’s current closing predicament.(Or the one where Keith is cute and helps an adorable Lance close the coffee shop.)





	Cute, Adorable, and Other Adjectives

“Venti hot chocolate for Keef!” Lance shouted, amusement evident in his voice.

“Really, Lance?” Keith replied, taking the cup from the grinning boy behind the counter and ignoring the tiny stir of butterflies in his stomach when their fingers brushed.

“As a barista, you know it’s my job to butcher the names of unsuspecting customers. Don’t act surprised Keef.” Lance explained, his confidence unwavering. Keith rolled his eyes. He loved Lance’s goofy enthusiasm; not that he would ever admit it. “And a triple espresso mistake for the tiny gremlin! The sun is literally setting, are you trying to be up all night?”

“One, this mistake is completely necessary, and two, why does Keith get a pet name when I’m named after an eighties horror movie?” She shot a sly look in an oblivious Keith’s direction, making Lance falter.

“Because it suits your personality.” Lance pointed out, as if it was obvious. He was clearly still salty about losing the pool game they messaged each other before he started his shift.

“Well Keith isn’t a child, where’d his name come from?” Pidge quirked up an eyebrow, not entirely convinced that Lance wasn’t targeting her with his awful nickname skills.

“His cuteness.” Lance shrugged and Keith’s head jerked up. “U-uh… I mean, not like _cute_ cute. He’s cute like a kid or whatever, when he zones out sometimes? Like he has his own little world, so he’s cute like a little kid.” Keith’s face was growing increasingly red, and he tried to mask it with a look of confusion. Lance scratched behind his neck and Pidge was trying her best to hold in laughter. “Not that you’re not hot too, I mean oh my god little kids are not hot, it’s just that you’re cute but als-”

The bell above the door to the small coffee shop jingled as Hunk held the door open for his girlfriend, Shay. “Hey guys!” She greeted, cheery as ever. Lance was saved from digging himself a deeper hole by their arrival, opting instead to greet the couple loud my and energetically. After the two of them ordered, they joined the group of three at the bar-like counter, where Pidge had launched into a full explanation of why she needed so much energy to finish an assignment.

“What I got from that was that you have a huge partner assignment due tomorrow for your advanced smart people technology class?” Lance translated simply. Pidge nodded and Hunk’s eyes widened with realization.

“Oh crap, I thought that was due on Monday.” He groaned and turned to Lance with disappointment in his tone. “Sorry Lance, I don’t think I can help you close tonight. We haven’t even started the modulating section, I’m probably gonna call in sick.”

“It’s cool. I can ask Matt to take your shift.” Lance said as he pulled his phone from his back pocket because business was winding down.

“I wouldn’t bother, he and Allura have their first date tonight, remember?” Pidge intervened and Lance huffed.

“Great, so they’re both out of the running too. Looks like I’m closing alone tonight again.” Lance begrudgingly came to the conclusion.

“Sorry, man.” Hunk gave him a sincerely sympathetic look. Shay laced their fingers together and squeezed his hand in an effort to make him feel less guilty.

“I would cover for you, but I already have a shift at the library tonight. Maybe Keith could help?”  
Shay suggested. Where Hunk was generous and helpful, she was a supportive problem solver. It was one of the many reasons they worked so well together. “I mean, if you’re not doing anything Keith?” Everyone’s gaze shifted toward Keith, who had all but checked out of the conversation.

Lance’s eyes brightened at the possibility of not having to spend an extra hour in the shop alone tonight, doing the work of two people. “Please Keef- uh, Keith?”

After a moment of awkward silence Pidge snickered. “Wait, what?” he replied, the name business had been at the forefront of his mind, distracting him from keeping up with the coffee shop’s current closing predicament.

“Will you please help me close the shop tonight Keith? You don’t have to know anything about coffee, I swear.” Lance pleaded. When Keith opened his mouth, Lance cut him off. “I’m literally exhausted.”

“I don’t actually work here. But as long as Allura doesn’t mind, I guess?” Keith started his sentence with the intention of saying no, but the longer he held eye contact with Lance it became clear that his brain wouldn’t let him. Something about the relief in Lance’s eyes was too adorable. He liked being the reason behind that feeling a little too much. Agreeing to work for free was definitely worth it if it meant alone time with Lance.

“ _Ehem_.” Hunk cleared his throat, making the two boys snap out of their moment and notice the rest of their friends once again. Shay was beaming and Hunk looked relieved. “Off we go, I guess. I’m gonna walk Shay to the library and then I’ll meet you at your dorm so we can work on the assignment, Pidge.”

“Sounds good.” Pidge confirmed as the couple strolled out the door. Pidge shot Keith her unreadably sly look again. Keith simply stared back at her in confusion while Lance excused himself for a moment to take what would end up being the last few orders of the night.

“So _Keef_ , what’s your plan for tonight?” Pidge asked him with a devious tone, lowering her voice so that they wouldn’t be overheard.

“Just some cleaning up, that’s all.” Keith brushed off. He took a sip of his now lukewarm hot chocolate in an effort to feign nonchalance.

“Really now? Are you sure you aren’t going to tiptoe around a guy that obviously likes you?” Pidge teased.

“Shut up, Pidge.” Keith grumbled, fighting the heat rising to his cheeks.

“I mean, you didn’t deny it.” Pidge laughed and patted Keith on the shoulder as she hopped down from the bar stool with her now empty cup in her hands. “Bye you two! Have fun with your mutual pining, just not too much fun.” She called as she left the shop, loud enough that the lingering customers overheard the farewell that was obviously only meant for Keith and Lance.

The tips of Lance’s ears turned red as he made his way to the back of the store, presumably to get the keys and lock the doors after the last lingering customers had left.

Keith had been alone in the storefront for about ten minutes before he started to worry. _What was Lance doing back there?_ , Keith wondered. The rest of the customers had been gone for a while now and Lance had said he didn’t want to stay any later than he needed to.

Reluctantly, Keith made his way to the back of the store, searching for Lance so that he could be assigned a task. Peering around the corner and through the doorway of Allura’s small office, Keith didn’t expect to find Lance pacing back and forth muttering unintelligibly to himself. For a reason Keith couldn’t identify, he looked mildly nervous.

“Lance? Everyone’s gone now.” Keith told him. He was startled by Keith sneaking up on him, but tried his best to hide it. When Lance didn’t move from his spot and stared back at Keith, he tried again, “We should lock the doors, right?”

“Yeah… Yeah sorry. I was just getting the key or whatever.” Lance replied moving his gaze to the floor, brushing past Keith with no more acknowledgement than that. Keith wordlessly followed Lance to the front of the store.

“I’m going to wash the dishes. If you could sweep the storefront and wipe off the tables, I’d really appreciate it.” Lance said, without looking Keith in the eye and then made his way to the back of the store once again. Keith didn’t know what to think. What reason would Lance have to be embarrassed? He had just been acting pretty normal. Completely oblivious to his 'guy's nickname for Keith had made him flustered.

But that couldn't be it. It's not like Lance actually thought he was hot, he was probably just making fun of him. The more he thought about it, comparing him to a child certainly didn't seem like a compliment. 

The thought sent a pang through his chest stronger than he anticipated. Sure, when they had first met, Keith and Lance didn’t get along. They made everything into a competition and disagreed just for the sake of it. But it had been over a year since then, and Keith thought they had at least moved on to being friends. Deep down, Keith knew he wanted more than that. It was probably never going to happen though, now that Lance was back to insulting him.

They worked silently. After sweeping and wiping took less time than he thought, Keith began to mop the floor as well. Lance wiped the surfaces behind the counter and finished up the dishes. After about an hour, nearly everything was finished and they hadn’t spoken at all.

“Um, all that’s left to do is take out the trash, so I guess you can leave now.” Lance said. He slipped out the backdoor with two bags in his hand, and Keith couldn’t help but confirm his disappointment. Lance was usually the most talkative around his friends, he just didn’t like Keith enough to consider him a friend.

Keith swallowed the lump in his throat and slipped on his jacket. He turned away from the back door and entered the storefront, where something caught his eye on the far end of the bar-like counter. It was his venti to-go cup, untouched since he began to clean. Shuffling over to throw it in the trash, he picked up the cup and faltered. There on its side were four letters in Lance’s neat, loopy handwriting; _Keef_.

He let out an audible sigh at the reminder of Lance’s insults and turned around. He marched out the backdoor and threw the cup, rather harshly, in the dumpster.

“Keith?” Lance was leaning against the wall next to the back door, eyes widened at Keith’s tense posture. “You good, man?”

Keith just glanced at him, said nothing, and walked through the door to the shop again. Lance followed this time, and tried again, “Look Keith, I’m sorry for what I said earlier. I wasn’t trying to make you uncomfortable or anything, I wasn’t thinking when I called you cu- that. I just-” The tips of Lance’s ears were turning red again, as he furrowed his eyebrows, “We’ve been getting closer lately and you were sitting there at the counter and the sun was setting behind you and every time you daydream your face looks so beautiful and-”

“Wait, what?” Keith asked, lost in Lance’s words. They sounded like sweet nothings, but they were unfinished. The lack of context made Keith utterly confused and strangely hopeful at the same time.

Lance steeled himself, and continued, “And I’ve been hiding my feelings for you for a while now.”

“Your… feelings?” Keith questioned, shock evident on his face and in his tone. His eyes scanned Lance’s face.

“Do I really have to spell it out for you, Mullet? I’m in love with you.” Lance snapped, sounding defensive.

 _Oh. Lance had called him cute. Cute. Oh_ , Keith thought. “Oh my god.” was all he could bring himself to say.

Lance inhaled a deep breath and his eyes darted to the floor, “Yeah. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have-” Keith’s face finally caught up with the butterflies in his stomach and he was grinning the brightest Lance had ever seen him grin. It was so bright that when Lance glanced up his voice drifted away in the middle of his sentence.

“I love you too, Lance.” Keith admitted, too happy to repress the blush displayed on his face. He soaked in the excitement in Lance’s eyes and took note of the matching blush that Lance was sporting. _Now that’s cute_ , Keith thought shamelessly.

“Really Keef?” Lance grinned back. _More than cute, absolutely adorable._

“Yes, really.” Keith sighed, not an ounce of real annoyance in his tone. Lance stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist. Keith’s hands found their way to the sides of Lance’s face. Slowly leaning toward each other, their lips met softly.

The emotion behind the kiss made it sweeter than Keith’s hot chocolate.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading the first drabble I've ever posted, I hope you liked it. :)
> 
> Also you can find me on Tumblr at https://grenxcrowmaster.tumblr.com/, if you feel like it.


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